Chapter 7: Party Time Pranks

"You look like a prep."

I shot a look over at Drake as he smirked at me, his eyes glinting mischievously in the streetlights that lined the street that I hadn't lived on since a couple weeks after I turned eleven.

I had decided a long time ago, that people; communities don't change, just age. I was pretty much right too. Mr. McGregor's front door had changed from white to blue and I only remember him because at Halloween he was the one who gave out the best candy... my favorites.

...

"I can't believe you dressed up as a hockey player." Denny scoffed as we walked out our front door. "It's Halloween! You're supposed to dress up as something you're not!"

I glanced over at my brother in his extra-terrestrial mask and silvery cape that flowed in the late October air behind him. "I guess you're not following the rules either."

He glared at me before turning toward our neighbor's yard. "I heard that." He snapped.

This was the first time my father had actually allowed us to go out on our own, so to speak. I was supposed to stay within two steps of my brother and Denny was in charge. I wasn't supposed to speak to anyone unless I was saying 'Trick or Treat' or 'Thank-you'. Mimi had said that if she found out I hadn't been polite, I would be in deep trouble and knowing her and her friends, I would be.

"I don't want to go to Dr. Milligan's!" I whined in my typical seven year old voice. "All he gives out is toothpaste and dental floss!"

My brother looked down at me and shook his head, pulling his mask up so he could look me straight in the eye. "Mom will have my neck if she doesn't see the toothbrush in our bags because she promised we would visit. We're going Adam."

"Denny!!"

"Adam! We're going!"

I fell behind slightly, staring at his shimmer-y cape from behind as it twinkled in my eyes in the streetlights. I took my chance to find Mr. McGregor's house when Denny got caught up with some friends from school and took off down the street. It was no big deal. All I had to do was find the white mailbox with purple flowers and the white door. Mr. McGregor was the only person on the block who didn't paint his front door.

I ran down the street, and grinned happily, my childish laughter escaping my lips and mixing in with the other children's going the other way down the street.

But soon, my laughs echoed, and they weren't with all the others. I spun around twice, my eyes widening as I clutched my bag of candy close to me. The street lights got blurry as tears of fright pricked the insides of my eyelids. I was scared and alone. And no way home.

...

I shook my head trying to forget that memory. It took three hours for my mother to find me. My father was at home and the second I came home he enveloped me in a huge hug. My mother wasn't as loving. She was probably just scared, but I was scared too; terrified really.

"Adam!" Drake snapped his fingers in front of my eyes. "Focus; we have to keep our minds on the task in front of us. If either of us gets side tracked, we're going to be screwed!"

I blinked and nodded. "Yeah. Of course." I muttered with another shake of my head. "We'll split up and then at midnight we'll meet back in the front hall and put our plan in action. Sound good?"

Drake nodded. "Definitely. Well you have fun." He laughed. "Don't do anything I wouldn't do!" He snickered as he walked into the house and turned the corner.

I laughed and turned opposite way immediately bumping into someone and knocking her down. "Aw shit." I half chuckled and offered my hand to the girl with long dirty blond hair twisted into a pair of braids. "You ok?"

She nodded and pushed an invisible hair out of her eyes and behind her ear. "Yeah. I'm fine." She blushed slightly and stared at her shoes for a moment before looking at up me. "Do I know you?"

I shook my head and looked down at her. "I don't think so. You might be in one of my classes."

"Oh yeah!! You're the guy who fell out of his seat in Chemistry!" She giggled.

I inwardly groaned and shook my head. That not so shining moment was going to haunt me until I was out of this school. "Yeah that's me." I forced a grin on my face. "But everyone else calls me Adam. Adam Banks." I stuck out my hand for her to shake.

She smirked and grabbed my hand tightly; tighter than any other girl's handshake I had ever experienced. "Julie Gaffney."

Julie Gaffney... Oh yeah... Alan had said she was the goalie for the JV hockey team.

My blood began to boil.

Duck.

A Duck was touching me. Shaking my hand, no less like an equal. She was below me. She ruined my life. She ruined my father's life.

Her greenish eyes drifted over my shoulder and a soft smile appeared on her lips. "Excuse me. I have a boyfriend to attend to." She laughed releasing my hand and stepping around me gracefully. "Scooter! You goof! I'm over here!"

I turned around and saw some guy tapping the shoulders of every person in the next room holding his hand up to his chin, showing how tall the female Duck I had been speaking to only moments before. He looked up with his 'All American boy' good looks, a letterman's jacket to top it off and a huge smile traveled all the way to his ears as she came into view.

They were perfect. Too perfect.

I wanted to be sick.

"Hey there! You made it!"

I caught myself before I was sick. It was that Quinn girl. I turned around and forced a smile. "Yeah I did."

She looped her arm through mine and led me through the party. "Have you gotten a drink yet?" Her eyes looked up at me pleadingly.

Drake had said no drinking and no drugs until after we had finished what we were planning, but one drink wouldn't hurt me... right? "Not yet!" I replied just as perkily, allowing her to lead me into her kitchen.

"Beer?" She offered holding out a cool amber bottle to me.

I glanced at her and took it from her hand and twisted it open with a snap and letting the bitter slippery substance slide down my throat. I closed my eyes. I could feel my nerves and nervousness release their rough grip on me. I felt so much better.

She took the bottle from my hands and set it on the counter and her lips curled into an innocent smile. She shifted into my grasp and pulled my lips to hers, allowing her tongue to slip into my mouth, teasing me. Playing a game that I always win.

She pulled away from me and smiled. "Want to go upstairs?"

...A Couple Hours Later...

Drake laughed at me as I stumbled out of the house, re-buttoning my shirt as I tripped over my own feet and down the interlocking brick steps

He eyes moved over me as I approached him. "You look like you had fun." He snickered. "Did you make a new friend?"

I laughed. "She's more like a stalker." I grinned and I pulled my vest over my head.

He grinned. "You have lipstick on your chin, and your hair looks rather hilarious." He said ruffling my already tousled hair. He put down his backpack that was slung over his shoulder and pulled a pair of black hooded sweaters out. "Take. We need to blend dude."

I pulled the sweater over my head adding yet another layer and then grabbing a roll of duct tape from the back pack as well. "Don't forget the windows. I've made that mistake before." I told Drake in monotone.

He nodded. "Ok, I'll meet you here in ten minutes max. Alright?"

I nodded and ran around to the back as he started on the front.

'Plan: Fuck the Ducks' was in progress.

...

I smiled despite myself as I smoothed the last piece of duct tape over the windowsill.

Even though I was wearing three layers of clothing, the November air nipped at my fingers and caused me to shiver within my black hooded sweatshirt. I quickly shoved my hands in my sleeves and tip toed through the hedges and around to the front of the house, blowing my hot and heavy breath that was soaked with alcohol into my cupped hands, attempting to keep them warm.

Drake was sitting on the curb, my backpack beside him, beneath a streetlight. The golden light cascaded over his features as he rubbed his arms, also trying his best, and failing at keeping warm.

"Hey Jerk-off! What the hell do you think you're doing?!" I hissed as I stood behind him making him jump about three feet in the air and catching his breath in a comical sense.

Within a second he realized it was me and shot a look that should've killed me on the spot, and shoved the wooden whistle I had picked up at a specialty hunting shop in the city. "Hey, fuck wit; how about not scaring the shit out of me and not getting caught in the process?" He snapped; his tongue as sharp as a fresh razor blade.

I chuckled under my breath at his overreaction and slipped the leathery cord of the whistle over my head and pulled my hood up, shading my face from the streetlights. "You make that sound like a bad thing."

He raised a skeptical eyebrow and mimicked me by pulling his hood up also. "It is a bad thing." He shook his head and scoffed. "Man, you live on the edge."

I couldn't even attempt to repress the sneer that curled onto my lips playfully. "Don't you know it." I muttered, bringing the wooden whistle to my lips and letting out three blasts that sounded like the three of the clearest duck calls I had ever in my life heard.

Within seconds the music inside was silenced and a lot of the party had turned into a dull roar in comparison to the booming that had taken over the usual quiet neighborhood in the suburbs just out of the city. Seconds later, the aura of the house changed from confused to panic as occupants realized they were trapped.

I let out another blast from the whistle and watched as Drake cupped his hands around his mouth and screamed into the deafening silence of the night.

"Ducks Fly Together!!!"

As we rushed down the street before any of party-goers looked out the windows at our black silhouettes, we called out, quacking and laughing insanely before we jumped into a group of manicured hedges. Our chuckles caught in our throats, choking us until we couldn't laugh anymore, rendering our bodies to shakes with laughter in silence waiting until it subsided so we could calmly walk into my house without looking guilty.

It didn't matter.

Every time his eye caught mine (or was it the other way around?), we burst into laughter, earning looks from my mother as she slipped up the stairs with a glass filled with vodka.

It was a night to remember.

A/N: It's been a while hasn't it! I've been caught up in the real world and I haven't had time to even think about my writing (its blasphemy isn't it!!). But now I'm back. I'm going to try my best not to ever do that again! Oh to shout outs!

Emmy- sniffle I don't know if you'll get to read this. I've heard through the grapevine that you got an profile, but couldn't get back onto LJ or AIM, so I'm hoping like hell you'll read this. I'm hoping that the party chapter lived up to your expectations. I really do. I miss you like hell, and I hope you'll read this even if you can't review. You rule ok?!

Rach- Hey you! I know... I'm a disgrace... I haven't updated in like forever and now you probably hate me... has it passed yet? So... you've gotten your dose of Adam and Drake hotness. Are you happy now? I wanted to thank you for 'bugging' me over MSN. You helped bring me back into I'm sorry for not being around. It was rude. laughs I missed you guys! I'll try not to ever take that much time off ever again!

xXxSarahxXx- I'm sorry for making it such a long wait to find out what Adam did. That must've been terrible! My bad! I thought the Duct/Duck was pretty smart too. I'm amused easily. So sue me!

Katie- Hon, you also helped me make to the fandom. I owe you big time. Thanks for talking to me despite my unexplainable disappearance into oblivion. I'm glad you liked the like 'ray of fucking sunshine'. I use that line with my friends all the time. It cracks them up all the time. I hope you enjoy the party chapter as much as you did the last one (if you can remember it...). I'll try not to take that long a vacation from the fandom ever again ok? Talk to you later!

Banksiesbabe99- Hi there. I'm sorry for making Adam into an arse (don't worry, I love him too. Just wait.) but I'm glad you like my story despite my rather long and tedious vacation from writing. Thanks for the review!

DigitalAngel4U- Wow... that was one of the nicest reviews I have ever gotten. I'm really flattered. I was kind of bored of the normal Adam stereotypes and I thought I would do something different and I'm really proud of Drake and Alan. I don't think I've liked a pair of OCs that I've created, so much. I'm sorry for making you wait for such a while for the next chapter of this story. I hope it's worth it and I hope I hear from you again! Thanks so much!

Toodles!

Katie Girl!